11 best champagnes to make celebrations go off with a bang

Laurent-Perrier was founded in 1812 but that doesn’t mean it refuses to move with the times. The la cuvée was already one of the world’s best-selling champagnes when they discontinued the popular fizz and introduced a new version, determined to make it even better.

The new blend was finally released in 2017 and does not disappoint. It has an increased proportion of chardonnay and has already picked up awards for its light, lively style, having been aged for around four years. Crisp and refreshing, it’s made using only the musts of the cuvée, so only 80 per cent of the grape juice is extracted from pressing. Expect a delicate but deep champagne with hints of citrus, pops of white blossom and a well-rounded mouthfeel that will definitely have you reaching for a second glass.

This bottle of champagne is hugely popular, which is hardly a surprise considering its £15 price tag. Light and crisp, it’s chock-full of lip-smacking citrus flavours with an almost tart twist of green apple. Zingy acidity, hints of toast and honey and a satisfying complexity mean this champagne easily holds its own against ones twice the price.

If you want to splurge on a big-name bottle, make it Taittinger. The last major champagne house that is still independent and family-owned, Taittinger has a history dating back to 1734. It now owns 288 hectares of top-quality vineyards and has passed down expertise through the generations. It’s also known for using a high percentage of chardonnay, to provide a refined, fresh taste.

The ‘grands crus’ tag denotes wine of especially high quality, with grapes used only from the exclusive Grand Cru villages of the Champagne region.

This bottle has been aged for more than five years and is a true delight to drink, with fine bubbles, a creamy mousse and fresh, floral notes with an exceptionally smooth finish.

Show you really know your champagne by swerving the best-known names and choosing a bottle from a small-scale producer instead. This one is made by Richard and Rodolphe Frerejean-Taittinger, who started making champagne solely for friends and family but it became so popular they went into business together in 2005. It’s still only sold in hand-selected outlets and merges innovation with traditional methods for a unique and expressive champagne that really stands out from the rest.

Aged for a minimum of five years and produced using hand-selected grapes, the champagne is balanced but distinctive, with a fresh nose of pear, apples and almonds. A palate of buttery brioche adds creaminess to a champagne that would really shine on a special occasion.

A bottle of champagne is always a welcome gift, but if you want to make it extra special, get your hands on one of these limited-edition Veuve Clicquot arrow tins, inspired by road signs. They come in orange, blue, pink and green and can be personalised with the name of a favourite destination and its distance from the famous label’s estate in France – we also love the fact it keeps the champers cool for up to two hours.

Inside, there’s a bottle of instantly recognisable yellow label brut (the pink tins contain rosé champagne) from the world-renowned house that was founded in 1772. Silky and powerful, this full-bodied bubbly has been aged for a minimum of three years and perfectly balances fruity and toasty flavours. The dominance of pinot noir in the blend gives the wine its distinct structure and means it holds its own nicely against stronger-tasting foods, including sushi and even powerful cheeses.

The Rothschilds were already one the most famous names in wine when three branches of the family came together in 2005 to form a champagne house. Benefitting from their vast expertise and knowledge of French terroirs, the resulting Barons de Rothschild champagne is a chardonnay-dominated blend that is aged for a minimum of three and a half years and is a remarkably elegant wine worthy of its famous name.

With a beautifully bright character and delicate bubbles, the champagne is full of white fruit flavours and floral undertones, with a nutty, almost toasted finish to add complexity. Though it’s delicious on its own, we think it would really make a bowl of fresh seafood sing.

Translated as ‘white of whites’, blanc de blancs is champagne made entirely from white grapes, without any pinot noir or pinot meunier in the blend.

Perfect for those who prefer elegant, fresh champagnes, this version has spent a minimum of three years on lees and is notable for its minerality. Refreshing and with a lively mousse, it is full of lingering floral notes with crisp apple undertones and enduring hints of almonds and hazelnuts. We think it would be a summer match made in heaven served with a fresh salad packed with colourful vegetables.

If you’ve tried bubbly from all the best-known brands and are looking for a bottle packed with personality, grower champagne is the fizz for you. These are made by producers who are hands-on at every stage of the process, from growing the grapes to bottling the end product, and many offer better value than the major champagne houses.

This one from winemaker Cyril Gyejacquot has pinot noir as its dominant grape, which gives the champagne a rich weightiness, offset with fine bubbles and crisp acidity. The balanced biscuit and citrus flavours are perfect to mark a celebration but will also make a fish and chip takeaway feel like gourmet dining.

Make sure to get real bang for your buck if you’re splashing out, by choosing this own-brand Harvey Nichols champagne, which ticks two major boxes that guarantee top-notch champagne. Firstly, the 100 per cent chardonnay grapes were hand-picked from Grand Cru sites, which denotes exceptional quality. Secondly, this is vintage champagne, so all grapes come from 2015, known for its hot, dry weather that produced intense, ripe fruit but reduced yields, making the year’s fizz even more in demand.

Blended by Lombard et Medot in Épernay, this vegan-friendly champagne feels like a real treat. The brut nature style means no sugar (typically used to soften and balance acidity) is added at the final stage, so this bubbly lets the terroir speak for itself and is very crisp and pure to drink. Exploding with apple, almond and citrus flavours with a distinctive chalkiness, it cuts through fatty or creamy dishes like a dream, so is ideal with lobster, cheeses such as parmesan or salty snacks such as nuts and olives.

It’s not always easy to know which big name to pick when choosing champagne, so own-label bubbly can be a good place to start. This one from Selfridges is a collaboration with champagne house Philipponnat, whose history in the heart of the Champagne area dates back to the 16th century.

Known for its 18th-century cellars and for having the region’s warmest terroir, Philipponnat has helped create this classic brut for a respectable price. It has similar proportions of all three grapes and a pleasing dryness, with a hint of citrus and intense brioche notes, making it a classic party starter alongside traditional canapés.

It couldn’t be easier to treat yourself to a bottle of bubbles when you can pop one like this in your trolley during your weekly shop. Made only from chardonnay grapes exclusively from the 2015 vintage, this blanc de blancs is produced by Union Champagne in Avize, the largest owner of grand cru grapes in Champagne.

It slips down a treat, too, thanks to a delicate mousse and crisp acidity but it’s not too dry to enjoy a glass on its own. There’s a pleasing hit of citrus flavours with a creamy brioche undertone and a slightly moreish nuttiness. A bargain at £30 a bottle.